Vietnam: the first rock and roll war – 1966 | Stripes

The sonic revolution and one-upmanship that defined 1966 make a compelling case to call it the greatest year in music history.

Just two years after the Beatles fired the shot across America’s bow that started the British Invasion, the mop tops had matured as songwriters and recording artists. In August 1966 they released “Revolver,” a fully realized work that helped the album supplant the single as rock’s dominant art form.

The other major players in the game of catch-me-if-you-can, The Beach Boys and Bob Dylan, released albums on the same day that are regularly ranked with “Revolver” on the best-of-all time lists…